Golf ball and method of making same

1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover;

wherein the core has a geometric center and an outer surface, a diameter of from about 1.5 inches to about 1.62 inches, and is comprised of a cured elastomeric composition comprising a mixture of an elastomeric composition and an organic peroxide-based curing composition; wherein the mixture at least partially contacts oxygen during curing;

wherein the elastomeric composition is selected from the group consisting of: natural rubber, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, halobutyl rubber, polyurethane rubber, polyurea rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, polychloroprene, alkyl acrylate rubber, chlorinated isoprene rubber, acrylonitrile chlorinated isoprene rubber, polyalkenamer, and combinations thereof;

wherein the organic peroxide-based curing composition comprises at least one organic peroxide and at least one compound selected from one of three additive groups:

i) bis-maleimides, tri-maleimides, and poly-maleimides, bis-citraconimides, tri-citraconimides, and poly-citraconimides, and p-phenylenediamine-based antiozonants, sulfur-containing accelerators, polysulfide polymers, and combinations thereof;

ii) amino acids, folic acid, organic secondary amines, and combinations thereof; or

iii) sulfur-containing compounds; organophosphite compounds; hindered amine light stabilizer compounds; aliphatic allyl urethane compounds; or tri-blends of nitride-containing compound(s), quinone-containing compound(s), and sulfur-containing compound(s); wherein the blend does not contain any bis-maleimide, tri-maleimide, and poly-maleimide, bis-citraconimide, tri-citraconimide, and poly-citraconimide; and

wherein the elastomeric composition is comprised of: 100 phr polybutadiene; from about 10 phr to about 50 phr zinc diacrylate; from about 3 phr to about 25 phr zinc oxide; up to 25 phr barium sulfate; from about 0.0 phr to about 2.0 phr antioxidant; from about 0.1 phr to about 5.0 zinc pentachlorothiophenol; and wherein the organic peroxide-based curing composition is included in the mixture in an amount of from about 0.25 phr to about 3.5 phr.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the organic peroxide-based curing composition is included in the mixture in an amount of at most 2.5 phr.

3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cured elastomer composition comprises a supplemental amount of organic peroxide in addition to an amount of organic peroxide contained in the organic peroxide-based curing composition such that a ratio of amount of organic peroxide-based curing composition to supplemental amount of organic peroxide is form about 7:1 to about 0.5:1.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the polybutadiene is mixed with up to about 10 phr of at least one other elastomer selected from the group consisting of a different polybutadiene rubber, natural rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber, and combinations thereof.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the mixture has an antioxidant to organic peroxide-based curing composition ratio of from about 0.30 to about 5.

6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a maximum cure temperature of less than 405° F.

7. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a maximum cure temperature of from about 290° F. to about 365° F.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a maximum cure temperature of from 290° F. to about 335° F.

9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a maximum cure temperature of from 305° F.-320° F.

10. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a maximum cure temperature of greater than 330° F.

11. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a starting cure temperature of about 75° F.-150° F.

12. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a total cure time of about 45 minutes or less.

13. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a total cure time of from about 35 minutes to about 45 minutes.

14. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a total cure time of greater than 25 minutes to about 35 minutes.

15. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the mixture has a total cure time of from about 10 minutes to about 30 minutes.

16. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cured elastomeric composition has a compression set of up to about 30%.

17. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the cured elastomeric composition has a compression set of 10% or less.